The knights arrayed their men-at-arms to assist the peasants and protect them, with Clavien devoting most of his men to aid while Methius took point on perimeter defense. Vaniel remained aloof, but dispatched Nathier to oversee the actual organization of the peasants and ordered his men to help where Clavien's men couldn't.

This slowed them down, however, and it was nightfall when they finally reached the castle, which really was farther away than it looked. The tower loomed enormous above what must look to be plains below, so much did it dwarf the hills. They were given rooms as befit the station of guests of Knights of the Duchy, though there was no formal greeting until almost noon the next day. The Knights, on the other hand, were called to closed court almost before breakfast; their squires were the only others unfortunate enough to be invited.

Lunch turned out to be a hastily-prepared banquet, however, with formal trappings, to welcome the "diplomatic envoy" from Trademeet Dale. The Duke and his son are the only true nobility present, seated at the head of the table with in-castle sub-nobility filling out the halls.

"My apologies for the simple fare," says the severe looking Duke Lothus dressed all in somber tones, his goatee making him look almost sinister. His tone sounds like he does not think it too meager, though those used to the Maharishi's informal luncheons might disagree. "We were not expecting diplomats to return with our Knights. They tell me you know nothing of these increased raids, Madame LeSchaye. And that you travel with quite the entourage of Exalted. We do not see many Exalted around here, only beastmen and the accursed servants of the wolf-goat. Try the veal; it was hunted just yesterday, before your party arrived."

Beatrix, whose plate is already half-empty without having made any noticeable movement to make it thus, holds her hand up. "No apologies are necessary, sir. The veal is excellent; I confess I have never had wild lamb before, and now I find myself poorer for having never tasted it until now."

"As for your knights, they are good men, and they speak truth to you; when we happened upon them, their say-so was the first anyone in Trademeet had heard of these events. As one of the Council, I tend to keep my ear to the ground; of news of such a thing had made it to the Dale, I would have heard of it. Understandably, I find myself distressed by this news; If nothing else, it would not be much more of a journey for the bestmen to come and raid our own farms and villages, which I confess have not been so rigorously defended as Falan."

"With regard to my traveling companions, I will allow them to speak for themselves. I will only say that we are a band of very capable individuals who have been given cause to take an interest in the problems of Watch Hill," she finishes diplomatically, not actually *saying* that she is furious about the abduction of her nation's citizens.